Apparatus for improved control of paper web position



13, 1959 E. s. KOLODZIEJ 2,868,541

APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED CONTROL 0F PAPER WEB POSITION File d March 11. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [Emmi/r0104 g7 BYMK Jan. 13, 1959 E. s. KOLODZIEJ APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED CONTROL OF PAPER WEB POSITION Filed March 11. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. f/wz'lziffolod z'gy. BY 0? APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED CONTROL OF PAPER WEB POSITION Edwin S. Kolodziej, Homewood, 11]., assignor to R. R.

Donnelley. & Sons Company, a corporation of Delaware Application March 11, 1957, Serial No. 645,188

8 Claims. (Cl. 2712.6)

This invention relates to a web position control, and in particular to means for controlling the edge position of a web.

In devices such as rotary printing presses, for performing operations on continuous web material, accurate control of the transverse positioning of the Web as it is fed to the means for operating thereon, such as the printing cylinders (herein referred to as web working means), usually is desirable, and frequently is essential. As the speed of operation of such devices is increased itbecomes more diflicult to maintain this accurate positioning; and while a substantial number of devices have been utilized for controlling the transverse positioning of the web in such applications, they have not been completely satisfactory in modern high speed operations.

The principal object for this invention is to provide a new and improved control for regulating the register of a rapidly moving web with a web working means.

Another object is to provide such a control having constantly responsive first means for controlling lateral web position within a predetermined range by steering the web, and a second means for imparting a predetermined lateral translatory movement to the web behind the first means;

A further object is to provide such a web positioning control wherein the first means is constantly responsive to deviations of the edge position of the web from the desired position and is located just behind the operating means, and the second means is associated with the web supply.

Still another object is to provide such a control wherein the second means is associated with the first means to' be operative whenever the web moves from a desired position to an extreme position, and said predetermined translatory movement is equal to the distance between said desired and extreme positions.

Still another object is to provide such a control wherein a constantly responsive means is provided for each of a series of web working means, but only the first of the constantly responsive means is associated with the means operating on the supply.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a web fed machine having the edge control means of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical section taken substantially as indicated along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, a web fed machine is shown as comprising a rotary printing press generally designated 10. A continuous web 11 is fed through press 10 from a supply roll 12. Means for operating upon the web as it passes through press 10 comprise a first printing cylinder mechanism 13 and a second printing cylinder mechanism 14. Thus, as shown by the arrows thereon, web 11 moves forwardly through the press from roll 12, throughfirst printing cylinder mechanism 13, through second printing cylinder mechanism 14, and to suitable delivery means (not shown). As the web moves longitudinally through the press, there is a tendency for it to wander transversely from a desired position in which it accurately registered with the cylinders 13 and 14, so that the position of its edge 11a (Fig. 3) varies or deviates from a predetermined correct position. The instant invention utilizes the deviation in edge position to maintain the web position Within suitable limits. For this purpose means are provided which are functionally coordinated to control the web edge position by 1) steering the web and (2) bodily displacing the web in translatory fashion.

The steering means, generally designated S, comprises a roller 15 mounted on press 10 to extend generally transversely to web 11, and pivot about an axis parallel to the movement of the web by the action of a hydraulic cylinder and piston device 16 which is operated by a suitable control mechanism 17 associated with a sensing means 18 which constantly determines the amount of deviation of the web edge from a desired registered position. Control mechanism 17 and-sensing means 18 may comprise pneumatically operated apparatus actuating hydraulic regulating means for controlling hydraulic device 16. Devices of this type are well known in the art and need no further description here.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, web 11 passes around roller 15 with its edge 11a associated with sensing means 18 so that the sensing means can determine accurately the position of the edge. Should the edge 11a be transposed either to the right or to the left of the desired centered position seen in Fig. 3, sensing means 18 actuates control mechanism 17 to operate the hydraulic device 16 and pivot the roller 15 in the proper direction to guide the web back to the desired position.

Hydraulic device 16 includes a cylinder 16a secured at one end to the frame 10a of the press, and a piston with a piston rod 16b on the end of which is a bracket 19 which carries one end of a support 20 on which roller 15 is journalled. Support 20 includes an elongated transverse portion Zlla which is secured at its mid-point to a pivot structure 21 which is supported on a cross bar 22 of press frame 10a, permitting the roller to pivot in a vertical plane about an axis which extends in the direction of longitudinal movement of the web. Also secured to bar 22 at opposite ends of support 20 is a pair of guide track fixtures 23 engaged by suitable rollers 24 which are carried on the support 20 to limit the movement of roller 15 to a single vertical plane.

To illustrate the operation of the steering means, it may be assumed that web 11 has moved somewhat to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3. This promptly causes hydraulic device 16 to be operated by control mechanism 17 (in response to the signal delivered from sensing means 18) to pivot roller 15 in a counterclockwise direction about pivot structure 21. This causes Web 11, as it moves over the roller, to walk to the left as seen in Fig. 3, until it reaches the desired centered position. A deviation of the web to the left, as seen in Fig. 3, would result in a clockwise movement of the roller in a similar manner.

As the web may lose its proper transverse position anywhere along its path through the press, it is desirable that similar steering means be employed at proper points throughout the press, such as just before the web enters second printing cylinder mechanism 14. For this purpose, a second steering mechanism S has a suitable roller 25 which is associated with a second hydraulic device 26 controlled by a control mechanism 27 associated with a second sensing means 28. As illustrated, roller 25 may be arranged to pivot about a pivot structure 29 in a horizontal Patented Jan. 13, 1959 plane, but in all other respects the operation of the second steering device is similar to that of the first.

While the means for operating hydraulic device 16 may be of a rapidly responsive type, the deviation of the web edge 11a from the desired position may tend at times to be greater than may be fully corrected by steering the web. To preclude such malfunctioning, a means generally designated D for bodily displacing the web is utilized, as briefly alluded to previously. This means includes a suitable, constant speed positioning device 30 associated with a transverse shaft 31a of a conventional rollstand 31. To

- shaft 31a is secured a pair of trifurcated spiders 31b, be-

tween which spiders supply roll- 12 is rotatably carried. Examples of such rollstand and shaft positioning devices are well known in the art and require no further description here. Operation of device 30 is effected through a control 32 by means of a pair of switches 33 (Fig. 3 on a plate 34 secured to bracket 19 on hydraulic piston rod 16b. Thus, when the deviation of the web is sufficient to cause plvoting of roller 15 to a predetermined extreme position in either direction, one or the other of the switches 33 is closed. This establishes an electrical circuit through control 32 to operate positioning device 30 in the proper direction to move the roll 12 axially (thereby transversely of the web) suitably for causing the web edge 11 to be re-centered relative to the sensing means 1%. Thus control 32 does not cause a continuous operation of device 30, but instead effects a single predetermined amount of movement of roll 12. A suitable control for such use is one employing an adjustable timer which is calibrated, relative to the rate of axial movement effected by device 30, to provide the necessary predetermined movement of the roll. This arrangement precludes the undesirable hunting often found in closed loop, servo-system arrangements (in which a signal correlated with an output function constantly modifies an input function) of this type wherein a relatively large correction is effected.

In operation, roller 15 is constantly pivoted by means of the signal delivered from sensing means 18 to correct positional deviations of edge 11a. When such deviations reach their predetermined maximum, positioning device 30 is operated to provide a predetermined displacement of the supply roll 12 and therefore efiect a return of the edge 11a to the desired centered position. Preferably steering means S is disposed just behind the printing cylinder mechanism 1.3, whereby the alignment of the web in mechanism 13 is effectively coordinated with its position relative to the sensing means 18; while a web displacement means may be operated at a point substantially behind steering means S (such as at supply roll 12) to assist in the edge control function.

While subsequent operating devices such as second printing cylinder mechanism 14 may require their own respective steering mechanisms such as S, these sub sequent rollers are automatically correlated, through first roller 15, with displacement means D, by means of the continuity of the web 11. It has been found that proper regulation of web 11 relative to the first printing cylinder mechanism 13 beneficially effects subsequent edge regulation (at points beyond mechanism 13), and thus roller 25 may properly maintain the desired edge registerrelative to the subsequent mechanism 14.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. Ina web fed machine having a roll carrying means and a web working means, means for controlling the edge position of a web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll carrying means to the working means, comprising: means sensing the position of the web edge intermediate the roll carrying means and the working means; mechanism acting on the web behind the sensing means and in response thereto to guide the web transe: versely toward a registered position relative to theworking means; displacing means associated with the roll carrying means to move the supply roll transversely of the web; and control means responsive to an extreme disposition of said mechanism for actuating the displacing means to move the supply roll a distance predetermined to translate the web to said desired registered position.

2. In a web fed machine having a roll carrying means and a web working means, means for controlling the transverse position of a web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll carrying means to the working means, comprising: means sensing the position of the web as it enters the working means; mechanism acting on the web closely behind the sensing means to guide the web transversely in response to the sensing means toward a registered position relative to the working means; displacing means associated with the roll carrying means to move the supply roll transversely of the web; and control means responsive to an extreme disposition. of said iii mechanism for actuating thev displacing means to. move the supply roll a distance predetermined to translate the web to said registered position.

3. In a web fed machine having a roll carrying means and a web working means, a closed-loop servo-system for controlling the edge position of a web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll carrying means to. the working means, comprising: means intermediate the roll carrying means and the working means sensing the positional deviation of the web edge from a predetermined registered position; mechanism acting on the web behind the sensing means and in rapid response thereto'to. guide the web edge transversely to said registered position whereby the web is delivered to the working means in a desired transverse position; displacing means associated with the roll carrying means to move the supply roll transversely of the web; and control means responsive to an extreme disposition of said mechanism for actuating the displacing means to move the supply roll a distance predetermined to translate the web edge to said registered position.

4. In a web fed machine having a roll carrying means and a plurality of spaced web working means, means for controlling the edge position of a web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll carrying means to the working means, comprising: means sensing the position of the web edge intermediate the roll carrying means and the first working means; first mechanism acting on the web closely behind the sensing means and in rapid response thereto to guide the web transversely to a registered position relative to the first working means; displacing means associated with the roll carrying means to move the supply roll transversely of the web; control means responsive to an extreme disposition of said first mechanism for actuating the displacing means to move the supply roll a distance predetermined to translate the web to said registered position; means associated respectively with each of the other web working means sensing the position of the web edge intermediate the respective successive Working means; and mechanism associated respectively with each of said last named means acting on the web intermediate successive working means to guide the web into a registered position relative to the forward one of the successive working means.

5. In a web fed machine having a roll carrying means and a web working means, means for controlling the edge position of a web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll carrying means to the working means, comprising: means sensing the position of the web edge intermediate the roll carrying means and the working means; mechanism acting on the web behind the sensing means and in rapid response thereto to guide the web into a registered position relative to the working means; displacing means associated with the roll carryingmeans to move the supply roll transversely of the web at a constant rate; and control means responsive to an extreme disposition of said mechanism for actuating the displacmg means for a predetermined period of time to move the supply roll a distance predetermined to translate the Web to said registered position.

6. In a web fed machine having a roll stand means and a web working means, means for controlling the edge position of a Web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll stand means to the working means, comprising: pressure responsive means sensing the position of the web edge intermediate the roll stand means and the Working means; mechanism including a compensating roller pivoted about an axis parallel to the edge to be con trolled and in rapid response thereto to guide the web toward a registered position relative to the Working means; power means associated with the roll stand means to move the supply roll axially alternatively oppositely; and relay means responsive to an extreme disposition of said roller for actuating said power means to move the supply roll a distance predetermined to translate the web to the registered position.

7. In a Web fed machine having a roll carrying means and a web working means, means for controlling the edge position of a web during delivery thereof from a supply roll on the roll carrying means to the working means,

comprising: web steering means between the roll carry- 2,521,691

ing means and the working means, said steering means including means sensing the position of the Web edge and steering mechanism behind and actuated by the sensing means to guide the web transversely toward a registered position relative to the Working means; displacing means associated with the roll carrying means to move the supply roll bodily transversely; and control means actuated by said steering means for actuating the displacing means to move the supply roll bodily and translate the web to said registered position when operation of the steering mechanism fails to do so.

8. Mechanism for maintaining a moving web in a desired edge registered position, comprising: means sensing a deviation of the web from a registered position; means responsive to the first named means for constantly guiding the web transversely to a registered position; and means controlled by said last named means for bodily translating the web a predetermined distance to return it to the registered position when the last named means fails to do so.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT-S Corlett Sept. 12, 1 950 

